Canon IV SB2 slow speeds question

[ndavid813]

Hi, I picked up a Beautiful Canon IV SB2 rangefinder in a New Year's "junk" sale. I've cleaned the exterior and put a roll of film through it and it works great, but I have one question for other Canon IV and earlier owners.

When I use the slow speed on the slow speed dial, the shutter opens but does not begin to time the exposure until I release the shutter button. So if I hold down the release button on the slow speeds, the shutter stays open like a "B" setting. Is this the way it is supposed to work, or is there an issue with the slow speeds on my new camera?

I don't plan on using slow shutter speeds much, but I would like to know if it is functioning as intended or if there is something simple I can do to correct it.

Thanks,

 

[xayraa33]

Hi, I picked up a Beautiful Canon IV SB2 rangefinder in a New Year's "junk" sale. I've cleaned the exterior and put a roll of film through it and it works great, but I have one question for other Canon IV and earlier owners.

When I use the slow speed on the slow speed dial, the shutter opens but does not begin to time the exposure until I release the shutter button. So if I hold down the release button on the slow speeds, the shutter stays open like a "B" setting. Is this the way it is supposed to work, or is there an issue with the slow speeds on my new camera?

I don't plan on using slow shutter speeds much, but I would like to know if it is functioning as intended or if there is something simple I can do to correct it.

Thanks,

Most likely the slow speed escapement which retards the 2nd shutter curtain is dirty or slightly gummed up and is causing this problem.

Pawn shops of old use to over tension the second shutter curtain to over come this problem as a "cheater" method but that threw off the higher shutter speeds in accuracy.

I would recommend a proper CLA for your Canon IVSb2 and a camera of that quality and age certainly deserves it.

 

[Greyscale]

This answered my question that I was going to ask regarding my IVF before I even got the chance to ask it. Is this rangefinder forum, or psychic friends network?

 

[ndavid813]

Who are you, good sir knight, who is so learned in the shutter sciences? (he says, proving once again that Monty Python is appropriate and fitting in almost every situation)
Thanks xayraa33!

 

[enasniearth]

Slow speeds

Slow speeds

This is a common problem for focal plane shutter cameras .
If you can hear the timer run at the selected speed after you release the
Shutter button the slow speed escapement is working .
From what my repair person tells me , the first curtain is not going over far enough to trigger the second curtain action , it can be adjusted .
I don't know how , at least the slow speeds will work if this problem
M is addressed .

 

[ndavid813]

enasniearth,
Thanks for this. I took a look at a youtube video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I8CoweWMzY&feature=player_detailpage about how to adjust shutter curtains on an M3. It showed me how to open the bottom cover and identify the shutter adjustment screws (canon is a leica copy after all) I could not get the screws to move easily, so gave up and put everything back together. My rule of thumb is that if I have to force something, I'm probably doing something wrong or have the wrong tools, so I need to take it to someone who knows what they're doing.

 

[Bingley]

Youxin Ye works on Canon IVSB2s. I recommend sending your camera to him for a CLA. The IVSB2 is a great shooter and worth the investment in getting the shutter right and cleaning up the VF.

 

[ndavid813]

Steve, Thanks. Being located in Japan makes shipping costs high, and being Canon's home country I think I can find some quality repair shops here. These guys http://www.tokyo-camera-service.com are a 15 minute bike ride from my house and I get a good feeling visiting their shop. I'll check them out first.

 

[ndavid813]

quick update: I traded e-mails with Mark Hansen http://www.zeissikonrolleirepair.com/index.html who was very helpful. I figured out that if I set the high speed dial a little off of the 1-30 setting between that and X, the slow speed would work as they should . Since everything else works fine right now, I'm going to use it this way for now. Since I got mine I've seen at least one Canon IV on e-bay that has the same quirk. It must be fairly common I guess.